Cigarette holder



June 6, 1967 A. P. MILLER CIGARETTE HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 14, 1964 F I G. 2.

FIG. 3.

FIG. 4.

- ww \IL 3/ :1 I w w WW7 M In. lk I18 a 2 2 x W 7 2 5 u u m 0 FIG. 6.

INVENTOR. ANTHONY P. MILLER M VLMJ FlG. 5.

ATTORNEYS June 6, 1967 A. P. MILLER CIGARETTE HOLDER 2 Sheets-$heet 2 Filed July 14, 1964 INVENTOR. ANTHONY R MILLER ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,323,525 CIGARETTE HOLDER Anthony P. Miller, Pleasantville, NJ. Achilles Corporation, 3333 Arctic Ave, Atlantic City, NJ. 08401) Filed .Iuly 114, 1964, Ser. No. 382,455 Claims. (Cl. 131-487) This application is a continuation-in-part of each of my copending applications, Ser. No. 154,533, filed Nov. 24, 1961, now Patent No. 3,260,266, issued on July 12, 1966, Ser. No. 221,688, filed Sept. 6, 1962, now abandoned, and Ser. No. 295,340, filed July 16, 1963, now abandoned.

This invention relates to holders or tips for cigarettes or cigars and more particularly to a holder having features which reduce some of the dangers to health that are involved in smoking The use of smoking tobacco is today both well known and widespread in spite of the fact that it is recognized by some authorities that smoking is injurious to the delicate membranes of the nose, throat, and lungs of the smoker and is credited with inducing cancer of the lips, mouth, throat and lungs, and with inducing heart diseases. The principal products of tobacco smoke are carbon dioxide, water vapor, carbon monoxide, acid fumes, nicotine vapors and tars. The first two of these products are not generally regardedas harmful to the smoker. The remainder of these products are generally considered harmful and even though only a small proportion of these products resulting from the combustion of the entire Flgfll'ellt actually enter the smokers system, that quantity is sufficient to be considered by some authorities as being harmful to the smoker.

Various means are employed to reduce the harmful effects of these products of combustion. Various chemrcals have been employed in admixture with the tobacco in an endeavor to nullify the harmful ingredients of the smoke. Some of these chemicals, while apparently nullifymg the harmful smoke ingredients, release upon combustion equally toxic substances or destroy or impair the aroma that is delighted in 'by tobacco smokers. Certain other neutralizing agents are unstable and, by the time the cigarette is consumed, these agents have decomposed and fail to accomplish their purpose. Other agents cause unpleasant taste or are for other reasons undesirably employed. Numerous types of mechanical filters have been devised. These filters generally add materially to the cost of manufacture of the cigarette and many of them are of little value.

It is the object of my invention to provide a cigarette holder construction which prevents the production of much of the harmful tobacco constituents during the smoking of a cigarette whereby cigarette smoking is made less harmful.

The harmful tars are not produced by the use of the cigarette holder in accordance with this invention because the holder is constructed to maintain consistently a relatively low temperature in the burning cone of the cigarette. An advantage of the holder is that no cartridges, filters, crystals, liquids, or tar traps are required. Moreover, the holder permits the production of a small amount of relatively harmless, low temperature tars which provide a cigarette aroma and taste. Accordingly, the pleasure and taste in smoking is not affected adversely.

Briefly, in accordance with the invention the cigarette holder or tip is provided with passageway means for admitting air into the smoke stream. One end of this holder is in the form of a bit adapted to be held in the smokers mouth and the other end is adapted to receive the cigarette. The cigarette holder is hollow so that the bit or ice tip portion receives smoke flowing from the burning cigarette during smoking and passageway means are provided through which air from the outside of the cigarette may pass into the hollow tip in response to the smoker applying suction to the interior of the tip. Since suction in the tip draws air from both the outside and through the cigarette at the same time, the amount of air drawn through the burning portion of the cigarette is less than the amount that would be drawn if the entire suction were applied to the cigarette. Accordingly, less oxygen is drawn into the burning portion of the cigarette so that the burn ing temperatures are less and generally will not be excessive. This lowering of the burning temperature causes a reduction in the production of harmful tars in the burning zone. Moreover, since the smoke passing through the tobacco is at a lower temperature, there will be less production of tobacco tars.

Another feature of the invention is that the cigarette holder may be manufactured easily and inexpensively since the holder may be molded by means of relatively simple dies.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an axial section of a cigarette holder or tip according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an axial section of another form of cigarette holder or tip in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of FIG- URE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a view of another form of cigarette holder or tip in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary axial section of the article shown in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a reduced plan view of another form of cigarette holder or tip in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 8 is an axial section of the article shown in FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a reduced plan view of the holder shown in FIGURE 7 with the sleeve removed; and

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged end view of FIGURE 9 as indicated by lines 1ll-10 therein.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, the cigarette holder or tip shown therein comprises a tubular member 2 having an internal longitudinal bore 4". The end 6" of member 2" constitutes the bit adapted to be held in the smokers mouth, and at the other end of the member the bore terminates in acylindrical portion 8" adapted to receive a cigarette in close fitting relationship.

Although it will be clear that the present invention is applicable to miniature or full-size cigars as well as cigarettes, in the case of a holder intended for use with cigarettes, the diameter of bore portion 8" typically will be of the order of of an inch. Depending upon the type of cigarette or cigar to be smoked, however, this diameter may be within the range of A1 inch to more than A: inch. An abutment it) limiting the extent of insertion of a cigarette into the holder is defined by virtue of the fact that the portion of bore 4 which is inwardly beyond bore portion 8" has a slightly reduced transverse dimension. The abutment 10 may be located preferably from to /2 inch from the left end of the holder as viewed in FIGURE 1.

Three grooves 14 are molded in the bore 8 to provide passageways for the flow of air into the interior of member 2 when a cigarette is inserted in the holder. The cigarette may be inserted in the holder only to the extent of abutment It), which is interrupted by indented passages 16 to communicate the passages defined by grooves 14 with the chamber or bore 4". Thus air may bypass the end of the cigarette through grooves 14 and the indented passages 16 and thereby enter the interior of the holder. The total cross-sectional area of the air passages thereby defined preferably is within the range of 0.0010 to 0.0025 square inch.

It has been stated that an object of the invention is the simplicity and economy of manufacture of the cigarette holder. The holder may comprise one of the many syn thetic resins, such as polystyrene, commercially available for use in the already known types of ordinary plastic cigarette holders. The holders can be mass produced on commercial injection molding machinery, whereby the cost of each holder may be a fraction of a cent.

Referring to FIGURES 3 and 4, the cigarette holder or tip shown therein comprises a tubular member 20 consisting of a bit portion 22 and a holder portion 24. The outer end of bit portion 22 has an end wall 26 pro vided with a central circular opening 28. The bit 22 has a cylindrical bore 30 extending axially from wall 26 to an annular shoulder 32 formed at the inner end of a cylindrical bore 34 in holder portion 24. Bore 34 extends axially from the open end of holder portion 24 to shoulder 32.

It is apparent that bore 30 defines a cylindrical chamber 36 which is immediately downstream of the end of a cigarette inserted into the holder portion 2 Accordingly, chamber 36 will receive smoke passing from the cigarette during smoking thereof. The cigarette holder includes passageway means providing communication between the exterior of the cigarette holder and the cham ber 36 to provide for the passage of outside air into this chamber 36. Such passageway means comprises eight grooves 38 extending longitudinally the length of holder portion 24 and into the bit portion 22 beyond the shoulder 32, the portion of the grooves 38 extending into the bit portion being indicated at 39. Accordingly, there is provided a passageway from the exterior of the cigarette holder through the grooves 38 into the chamber 36 at a location inwardly of shoulder 32. The grooves 38 are circumferentially equally spaced as is shown in FIG URE 4.

It will be apparent that the holder shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 as described thus far is substantially the same as the holder shown in FIGURES l and 2, a major difference being that there are eight grooves instead of three. The total cros-sectional area of the eight grooves 38 is preferably between 0.0010 and 0.0025 inch as in the case of the three grooves 14.

The essential difference between the two cigarette holders is that the cigarette holder shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 comprises a tubular cylindrical sleeve 40 which is positioned in the bore 34 by a press fit. This sleeve 40 is preferably made of metal, such as aluminum, although other satisfactory materials may be used. The sleeve 40 should be able to resist desruction by heat. In the assem bled position, the sleeve 40 abuts the shoulder 32 at one end and extends slightly beyond the outer end of the holder 24. The internal diameter of the sleeve at is accurately formed so that a cigarette inserted within the sleeve 40 will be held securely therein. The outer end of the sleeve 40 is flared outwardly to aid the insertion of a cigarette. The outer end of holder 24 is beveled as is indicated at 42 at a location adjacent the flared end of the sleeve 40 so that the sleeve 40 Will not block the entrance of air into the grooves 38. A radially inwardly extending annular shoulder portion 44 is provided at the inner end of sleeve 40. Shoulder 44 serves to limit the insertion of a cigarette.

The cigarette holder construction including the sleeve has several advantages. Firstly, the sleeve serves to provide a tight grip on the cigarette so that when a smoker taps the cigarette in order to loosen ashes therefrom, the cigarette will not become cocked in the holder or fall therefrom. This is achieved because the sleeve is accurately dimensioned.

The sleeve also serves to provide accurate dimensions of the grooves which is very important in attaining the desired amount of tar reduction. Without a sleeve, the cigarette wrapper tends to enter the grooves in the holder and accordingly tends to decrease the passageway fiow area from the intended dimension. Also, the sleeve maintains a fixed length for the passages provided by the grooves. It is important that the passageway length be an amount which will provide the desired amount of air intake. Without a sleeve, the partial insertion of a cigarette would make the passage length less than the desired amount. The sleeve also prevents clogging of the grooves by pieces of tobacco or other foreign particles.

Furthermore, the sleeve protects the holder, which is preferably made of plastic, from damage by a burning cigarette. For example, a smoker often places a cigarette holder and the cigarette contained therein on an ashtray without putting out the cigarette and allows the cigarette the burn its entire length. If the cigarette were of the non-filter type, the cigarette might burn its entire length including the portion contained within the holder. This burning will, of course, damage a plastic holder. By using a metallic or similarly heat resistant sleeve, the damage to the holder is prevented. This protection results not only because the metallic sleeve prevents contact between the cigarette and the holder, but also because the sleeve serves to extinguish the cigarette. As the cigarette burns to a point within the sleeve, the sleeve prevents the outside air from entering the cigarette through the exterior wall thereof thereby tending to limit the burning. Also, there is a condensation effect in the region of the burning cone which serves to extinguish the cigarette.

It will be apparent that the two forms of cigarette holders described above will function substantially in the same manner, and accordingly the function of the two cigarette holders will be described jointly. During the smoking of a cigarette positioned within the bore 8" or the sleeve 40, smoke is drawn through the cigarette into the chamber 4 and into chamber 36, respectively, by reason of the partial vacuum or negative pressure produced within the bit portion of the holder in response to the application of suction by the smoker. At the same time, outside air is drawn through the grooves 14 and the grooves 38 into the chamber 4 and the chamber 36, respectively. Since the partial vacuum applied to the chambers within the bit portions of the holders is partly satisfied by the outside air passing through the grooves in the holder, there is a lowering of the cigarette burning temperature and a reduction in tar formation as was previously described. The cigarette holder construction produces an effective mixture of the outside air and smoke in the chambers within the bit portion of each holder by reason of the turbulent flow produced by the jets of outside air entering radially into the chambers. The entrance and mixture of cooler air with the smoke will reduce the temperature of the combustion products so that there is coagulation of the small amount of tars which are produced. It is noted that these tars are the type which form at low temperatures in the burning cone and hence are relatively harmless. The combustion products pass through the chambers within the bit portions of the holders and into the smokers mouth. During this flow, the tars, which are sticky, adhere to the interior surfaces of the bit portions.

The cigarette tip or holder shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 is very similar to that shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 wherefore corresponding parts have been given like reference numerals with primes added. This form of the invention comprises a tubular member 20' consisting of a bit portion 22' and a holder portion 24. The bit 22 has a central passage 30' extending axially from the mouth end of the holder to an annular shoulder 32 formed at the inner end of a cylindrical bore 34' in holder portion 24. Bore 34 extends axially from the open end of holder portion 24' to shoulder 32.

The passage 30 in bit portion 22 defines a chamber 36' in the mouth end of the holder. The outside air passageway means comprises eight grooves 38' extending longitudinally the length of holder portion 24 and into the bit portion 22 beyond the shoulder 32', the portion of grooves 38' extending into the bit portion being indicated at 39. Grooves 38' provide passageways from the exterior of the cigarette holder into chamber 36'. The grooves 38' are circumferentially equally spaced as in the case of the form of the invention shown in FIG- URES 3 and 4.

The essential dilference between the forms of the invention shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 and in FIGURES 5 and 6 is the construction of the cylindrical sleeve 40' which is positioned in the end of the tubular member 20'. In the form of the invention shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 there is provided a tubular cylindrical sleeve 4%) which is made of heat resistant metal and is formed with a reduced diameter portion 46' and an enlarged diameter portion 4% joined with a radially extending wall 50'. The reduced diameter portion 46' is constructed for a slip fit within the bore 34' and in the assembled position abuts the shoulder 32. The internal diameter of the enlarged portion 48 is formed accurately so that a cigarette inserted in this portion will be held securely. The outer end of portion 48' is flared outwardly to aid the insertion of a cigarette.

The outer end of holder 24 is beveled as is indicated at 42, the beveled wall being spaced from the radial wall 50. Accordingly, an annular passageway 52' is formed between beveled wall 42 and wall Stl' to permit the entrance of air into the grooves 38'. i

A radially inwardly extending, annular shoulder portion 44' is provided at the inner end of reduced diameter portion 46. Shoulder 44 serves to limit the insertion of the sleeve 40. The sleeve 40' is dimensioned to provide the annular passageway 52 when the shoulder 44 abuts shoulder 32.

The form of the invention shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 has all the advantages of the form shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, these advantages being discussed above. In addition, this form provides better protection for the holder from damage by a burning cigarette. As discussed above, this damage results from the heat provided by a cigarette which burns close to the holding portion of the sleeve, which heat may be suificient to melt a plastic holder. By the construction shown in FIGURES 5 and 6, damage to the holder is prevented because the cigarette is held in a portion of the sleeve 44] which is spaced forwardly drom the holder portion 24'. Accordingly, even if a cigarette burns its entire length, the damaging heat will be applied in a region spaced from the plastic holder.

Another advantage of the form of the invention shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 is that the sleeve 4d may be removed with considerable ease to permit cleaning of the cigarette holder. This removal is possible by reason of the slip fit between portion 46' and bore 34.

It will be apparent that the form of the invention shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 will function in the same manner as the form shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. The only essential diiference is that the cigarette is held in an extended position in the form of the invention shown in FIGURES 5 and 6.

The cigarette tip or holder shown in FIGURES 7 to 10 is very similar to the form of the invention shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 wherefore corresponding parts have been given like reference numerals with double primes added. This form of the invention comprises a plastic member comprising a bit portion 22". Member It)" has a central passage extending axially from the mouth end to a cylindrical passage 37" formed in the inner end of member 20''. The passage 30 and the passage 37" define a chamber 36 extending through the 6 member 20" which chamber may be termed a smoke passage since smoke from the cigarette passes therethrough on its way to the smokers mouth.

The outside air passageway means comprises eight grooves 38" formed in the exterior of the cigarette end portion of member 20" for providing communication between the exterior of the holder and the passage 37". The portions of the grooves 38" which extend into the passage 37" are indicated at 39". The grooves are circumferentially equally spaced as in the case with the forms of the invention described above and as shown in FIGURE 9.

The essential difference between the form of the invention shown in FIGURES 7 to 10 and the forms described above is the construction of the cylindrical sleeve as" which is positioned on the end of member 20" so as to hold a cigarette. In the form shown in FIGURES 7 to 10 there is provided a straight tubular sleeve 49" which is made of heat resistant metal and is constructed for a slip fit over a reduced diameter portion 34 of member 20". In the assembled position of the sleeve 40" and the member 29', the sleeve abuts an annular shou1- der 32 located at the inner end of the: reduced diameter portion. The internal diameter of the straight sleeve 40 is formed accurately so that a cigarette inserted in this portion will be held securely. The outer end of sleeve 4t)" is flared outwardly to aid the insertion of a cigarette.

It is noted that the shoulder 32" serves to limit inward movement of the sleeve on the member 20 when the parts are assembled. The grooves 38 extend axially beyond the shoulder 32 and the end of the sleeve 40" whereby the outside air may enter the grooves 38 at such radially extending portions thereof indicated at 52".

The form of the invention shown in FIGURES 7 to 10 has all the advantages of the form shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 including that of protecting the holder from damage by a cigarette which burns down too far because the cigarette is held forwardly of the cigarette end of the plastic member 20". Another advantage is that the sleeve 49" may be removed easily to permit cleaning of the parts of the cigarette holder, this removal being permitted by reason of the slip fit between the parts.

A further advantage is that since the sleeve 46" is mounted on the exterior of the plastic member 20", there is no danger that expansion of the metal sleeve will cause cracking of the plastic member. A still further advantage is that the form involving a straight tubular sleeve is very inexpensive and simple to construct.

It will be apparent that the form of the invention shown in FIGURES 7 to 10 will function in a manner similar to the forms described previously. The only difference is that the cigarette is held in an extended position and the flow of outside air is axially from the mouth end toward the cigarette end of the holder and through the groove portions 39" into the smoke passage 36" where smoke and air are mixed.

Cigarette holders constructed in accordance with the invention can prevent the formation of up to about ninety percent of the tars. Moreover, since the small amount of low temperature aromatic tars which are formed will collect on various surface areas on the interior of the holder, the tobacco aroma provided thereby is retained, this aroma being pleasing to the smoker.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications of the described forms of the invention may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, holders 6", 2t}, 2t) and 20" may be made of paper as well as plastic and may be constructed as part of a cigarette. Accordingly, it is not desired to be limited except as required by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

I. A smoking article for use in the smoking of cigarettes or the like comprising an elongate holder member having all means defining a passage extending lengthwise therethrough, one end of said member being a bit adapted to be held in the smokers mouth, a tubular sleeve mounted within a portion of said wall means at the other end of said member and being adapted to receive a cigarette or the like therein for holding the same and limiting the insertion of a cigarette or the like, and said member having a plurality of circumferentially spaced air passages therein leading from the outside of the member to a portion of said passage located intermediate the mouth end and the limit of insertion of a cigarette or the like, each of said air passages being of a size to provide a substantial resistance to air flow, and said holder member and said sleeve each being one-piece members, and each of said air passages being defined by a groove in said wall means extending longitudinally along said internal passage and facing the external wall of said sleeve.

2. A smoking article for use in the smoking of cigarettes or the like comprising a plastic tubular member having a holder portion at one end adapted to hold a cigarette or the like therein, a bit portion defining a smoke passageway extending from and in continuation of a cigarette or the like held in said holder portion, and means defining a passageway for the flow of outside air into said smoke passageway including a plurality of passage means extending longitudinally through said holder portion into said smoke passageway, said holder portion defining a cylindrical bore extending axially inwardly from one end of said member, each of said passage means comprising a groove in the inner wall of said holder portion extending axially along said bore, said groove being of a size to provide a substantial air flow resistance and communicating at its one end with the exterior of the member and at its other end with said smoke passageway, and a sleeve member mounted within said bore in contact with the bore defining portion of said holder portion whereby said sleeve defines a portion of each of said passage means, said sleeve extending approximately the length of said holder portion and being made of a heat resistant material.

3. A holder for use in the smoking of cigarettes and the like, comprising a tubular member having a bore extending axially inwardly from one end thereof, a sleeve comprising an inner portion mounted within the bore and an outer portion extending beyond the said end of the tubular member, said outer portion having an internal dimension adapted to receive and hold a cigarette or the like therein, a smoke passageway being formed through a bit portion at the other end of the tubular member, the smoke passageway communicating with and being an axial extension of the sleeve, and a plurality of passages being formed in the wall of the bore and extending longitudinally thereof so as to allow flow of outside air past the sleeve to the smoke passageway, and the sleeve having a radially extending portion for limiting the insertion of the cigarette or the like at a location beyond the outer end of said tubular member.

4. A holder according to claim 3 wherein the radially extending portion of the sleeve is spaced from the outer end of the tubular member so as to define therebetween a peripherally extending passageway which communicates with the outer end of the outside air passage means.

5. A holder for use in the smoking of cigarettes or the like comprising an elongated member having a bit portion at one end and a passage extending axially therethrough for the passage of smoke, and a tubular sleeve mounted on the other elongated member to extend axially from the other end thereof, the sleeve being adapted to hold a cigarette or the like therein with the end of the cigarette adjacent to the other end of the elongated member so that the smoke from the cigarette passes into said smoke passage in the elongated member, a plurality of passages for the flow of outside air into the smoke passage, each of said outside air passages being provided by a groove in the external wall or" the elongated member communicating at one end with the outside air and at the other end with said smoke passage, said tubular sleeve being mounted on the external wall of said elongated member, and the grooves in the external wall of the elongated member extending axially thereof and being circumferentially spaced, said tubular sleeve being mounted on the elongated member to enclose said grooves whereby said sleeve cooperates with said grooves to define the outside air passages, and said grooves extending beyond the end of the tubular sleeve mounted on said member to provide ports communicating with the outside air and having radially extending portions at the cigarette end of the elongated member communicating with the smoke passage at a location adjacent the cigarette end of the elongated member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 882,825 3/1908 Heald. 1,266,553 5/1918 Cherekjian 131198 X 1,319,622 10/1919 Salmon et a1 131-190 X 1,718,122 6/1929 e Shon 13111 2,721,559 10/1955 Howard 131187 2,791,224 5/1957 Jones 131-198 2,968,307 1/1961 Barnett 131187 X 3,137,303 6/1964 Shaw 131187 FOREIGN PATENTS 445,522 9/1912 France.

OTHER REFERENCES Article: British Medical Journal of Feb. 21, 1959, p. 507.

SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

J. S. REICH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SMOKING ARTICLE FOR USE IN THE SMOKING OF CIGARETTES OR THE LIKE COMPRISING AN ELONGATE HOLDER MEMBER HAVING ALL MEANS DEFINING A PASSAGE EXTENDING LENGTHWISE THERETHROUGH, ONE END OF SAID MEMBER BEING A BIT ADAPTED TO BE HELD IN THE SMOKER''S MOUTH, A TUBULAR SLEEVE MOUNTED WITHIN A PORTION OF SAID WALL MEANS AT THE OTHER END OF SAID MEMBER AND BEING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A CIGARETTE OR THE LIKE THEREIN FOR HOLDING THE SAME AND LIMITING THE INSERTION OF A CIGARETTE OR THE LIKE, AND SAID MEMBER HAVING A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED AIR PASSAGES THEREIN LEADING FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE MEMBER TO A PORTION OF SAID PASSAGE LOCATED INTERMEDIATE THE MOUTH END AND THE LIMIT OF INSERTION OF A CIGARETTE OR THE LIKE, EACH OF SAID AIR PASSAGES BEING OF A SIZE TO PROVIDE A SUBSTANTIAL RESISTANCE TO AIR FLOW, AND SAID HOLDER MEMBER AND SAID SLEEVE EACH BEING ONE-PIECE MEMBERS, AND EACH OF SAID AIR PASSAGES BEING DEFINED BY A GROOVE IN SAID WALL MEANS EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY ALONG SAID INTERNAL PASSAGE AND FACING THE EXTERNAL WALL OF SAID SLEEVE. 